News & Events  

Core strategy consultation: South East Maidstone
Public Meeting
Following the public meeting at Vinters last night (for the north of Maidstone area), and the planned meeting for the west of Maidstone area (on 3 October), I have booked a public meeting for the south east of Maidstone area on 4 October. These meetings coincide in area terms with the strategic locations for development identified on the Core Strategy key diagram.

This meeting will be a chance for residents and businesses from Park Wood, Shepway South and Shepway North (and any others that are interested) to come and listen to a brief, tailored, presentation about the Core Strategy and what it means to them. After that there will be questions and answers, where residents and businesses can discuss what they want from the planning process and how planning might affect their future.

This meeting is an alternative to the road show sessions that the Spatial Policy team has been holding across the borough since 2 September, and has arisen out of the desire to offer residents of non-parished areas something more akin to the meetings that are being held in parished areas.

The meeting will be held at:
The Main Hall
Heather House
Bicknor Road
Park Wood
ME15 9PS

Time:
4 October
7.30pm until 9.30pm

Core Strategy for Maidstone Borough
Maidstone Borough Council is asking residents, businesses and other interested parties to say what they think of the document which plans for the future development of the borough until 2026.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Chris Garland, says “This consultation is a chance for us all to have a say about how we would like Maidstone Borough to develop in the future.

“The Core Strategy will be used when considering planning applications. It will provide a framework for the development of our borough until 2026 and it will plan for homes, jobs, shopping, leisure and the environment, and the roads and services to support them.

“The council’s vision is for Maidstone to have a growing economy and to remain a great place to live. The core strategy will help us achieve our vision.”

The council is embarking on a major consultation starting on Friday, September 2 and finishing on Friday, October 14.

Throughout the six-week consultation people will be able to drop into the Town Hall to ask questions, examine the strategy, give their views and opinions, and contribute to its ongoing development.

There will be a display at the Maidstone Gateway in King Street where people can leave their comments.

The council will be sending out leaflets to households and a consultation road show will visit village halls, community centres, libraries, supermarkets, and shopping centres to get as many different views as possible.

Full details are available online here

 
   
Food Waste Collection Service
I hope you would agree that our new food waste collection service has got off to a flying start.

In two weeks, the Council delivered food waste bins and kitchen caddies to 55,568 households. That’s 111,136 containers, 55,568 rolls of liners and 55,568 leaflets! The week commencing 31 January, half of the borough had their first food waste collection and 40.96 tonnes of food waste was sent for composting. This is over 1.5kg per household.

In the first three days of this week, 53 tonnes of food waste has been sent for composting – this is an average of 1.6kg per household, per week. Although this is only the first three days’ figures, it would mean that more than 4,500 tonnes of food per year will be sent for composting.

Also, in the first week of collections, more than 70% of households put their new food waste bins out for collection and in some areas, this was more than 80%.

It is inevitable that we will receive calls to our Contact Centre about this new service but the volume of calls have been low and dealt with promptly.

You may know that up to 40% of waste in people’s grey rubbish bins used to be food waste. This new collection takes food waste out of the rubbish that goes to Allington incinerator. Food waste is now sent to Blaise Farm, West Malling for composting.

This is helping us to achieve our target to recycle more than 45% of waste by 2015.

As you can see, this is a great service, it’s simple and very sustainable.

We will continue to keep you up to date over the coming months.
   
   

Kent Road Weather Forecast: 20.12.10
Forecast for next 24hrs:
Light snow will spread from the south-west this afternoon,
sporadic and patchy at first but expected to become more
persistent later this afternoon and this evening. This is expected to produce variable snow cover of 2-5cm but in low-lying areas towards the coast the snow may become sleety at times, perhaps even turning to rain, so lower accumulations here (but a risk of freezing rain cannot be ruled out). The snow will become lighter and more sporadic again by midnight and should peter out entirely through the early hours. RSTs will remain largely below zero throughout, only temporarily coming just above early afternoon today in some areas, then more generally above zero by midday tomorrow. However, minimum temperatures tonight should not be as low as last night. Staying rather cloudy into Tuesday morning. Chance of some light and patchy sleet/drizzle, mainly in the east.

Forecast for next 5 days:
Remaining cold through the outlook period. Mostly dry Tuesday
afternoon then during the evening and night, a mixture of rain and sleet is expected. RSTs will hover around or a little below freezing thus there is a risk of ice. The chance of snow flurries on Wednesday. Thereafter, it should stay mostly dry as pressure
builds from the west. RSTs will be below zero each night during
the period with a risk of ice and hoar frost.

For further information download PDF below

 
   

Snow Update including Refuse Collections
We have cleared snow and gritted park and ride and other council car parks, and footpaths in the town centre, Vinters Park Crematorium and elsewhere but please take care because of the conditions.

Maidstone council drivers and vehicles have been helping social services to get to vulnerable people in our borough with 4x4 vehicles and drivers.

Car Parks
We are gritting and clearing snow but please take care because of the conditions.

Cemetery
The Cemetery is open as usual but please take care because of the conditions. Please take special care in grassed areas as snow might hide uneven ground and memorials.

Crematorium
The Crematorium grounds and halls are open as usual but please take care because of the conditions. Please take special care in the gardens as snow might hide uneven ground.

Council Offices/Maidstone Museum/Hazlitt Arts Centre
All open as usual.

Maidstone Market
The undercroft car park is clear and the other car park area and paths have been gritted and are useable with care. The Turkey sale in the hall is open and trading.

Park and Ride
All car parks are clear and busses are running a near to normal service.

Refuse/Recycling Collections
The refuse, recycling, garden waste and bulky services are all operating today. However due to extremely icy road conditions, significant disruption to services is expected.

Please leave bins out for collection. If you are able to, please remove any snow from the lids as this will prevent the lids freezing shut. Thank you for your understanding.

The council’s emergency out of hours contact number is
01622 602000. If there is a need to contact the winter maintenance duty team at KCC the number is 08458 247 800.

For information about road conditions on motorways and trunk roads, check the Highway Agency website at www.highways.gov.uk

For information on weather conditions, visit the Met Office website at www.metoffice.gov.uk

For information about road closures call 01622 654321.
For up to date information about Maidstone Borough Council service visit our website www.maidstone.gov.uk.

   
   
Council offices at Christmas
Maidstone Borough Council will be open as usual until noon on Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24.

The offices will then be closed for Christmas, opening at 8.30am on Thursday, December 30. The offices will also be closed on Bank Holiday Monday, January 3. Council information is available 24/7 365 days a year on our website – www.maidstone.gov.uk.

A 24-hour payment hotline is available on 01622 602544. For any Maidstone council emergencies over Christmas and the New Year, please telephone 01622 602000. 		   
   

Don’t be left in the cold this winter
Maidstone Borough Council is offering eligible residents free heating and insulation for their homes.

The council is aiming to work with residents to help them heat their homes more efficiently through a grant scheme called Coldbusters.

The grant can cover the following that can help them save money on energy bills and help to protect the environment:

· Replacement of boiler (if your current boiler is more than
15 years old or broken and beyond economical repair)
· Central heating system
· Heating controls
· Cavity wall insulation
· Loft insulation
· Draught-proofing
· Internal or External Solid Insulation
· Log Stoves
· Solar Thermal Hot Water installation

You are eligible for a 100% Coldbusters Grant of up to £8,000 if you own or privately rent your home and receive one of the benefits listed below or if you are aged 60 years or older and receiving the state retirement pension as your main source of income.

If residents are receiving an additional private pension and/or another source of income this must be smaller than the state pension based on the equivalent weekly amount. Applicants must also not have more than £16,000 of savings.

Rural Homes Grants
100% Rural Homes Grants of up to £5,000 are available for log stoves and biomass boilers for applicants receiving one of the benefits listed below and who own or privately rent their home and can not be connected to mains gas.

50% Rural Homes Grants of up to £5,000 are available for log stoves and biomass boilers for applicants not in receipt of one of the benefits listed below and who own or privately rent their home and can not be connected to mains gas.

Hard to Treat Grants
100% Hard to Heat Homes Grants of up to £20,000 are available for internal or external solid wall insulation for applicants who own or privately rent their home and have a solid wall property.

Sunrise Grants
Grants of £1,500 are available to any Maidstone resident whose property is suitable for a solar thermal hot water installation.

Eligible Benefits
Income Support, Income based job seekers allowance, Council Tax Benefit Housing Benefit Guaranteed pension credits, Working Families Tax credit (incomes less than £15,592) Child Tax Credit (incomes less than £15,592), Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance.

For further information or to apply for any of the above grants call 0800 512012. All grants are subject to funding availability on a first come first served basis.

   
   

Older Persons Forum 1st October 2010
To celebrate International Day of the Older Person,Voluntary Action Maidstone are holding an Older Persons Forum on 1st October 2010 at the Hazlitt Theatre.

Visit: www.vam-online.org.uk